Ortegas ... what to get to build on box set?

[THE_Dwarf]

Hey,

I bought the Ortegas box set today, mainly on a whim as I have Ophelias crew and thought "Hey, why not have their human counter-parts?!" so I bought them :-P

But as I have only played about six games of Malifaux, all with Gremlins. As with gremlins you can only hire other gremlins - plus Lenny and McTavish. So I have not really had to think much of what I need to get to build on a box set.

So thought I would pop in here and ask wiser people than me, suggestions on what to get to build on them with?

So any and all help will be great :-)

[LupusFerreus]

I'd give some advice but dgraz will do better, he is Perdita's right hand man.

[Rameses]

To expand your Ortega's crew I suggest.

1-2 Austringers

1 Guardian (possibly just get the Hoffman box: you wont regret it.)

1 Enslaved Nephillem

[dgraz]

Her totem is #1. Obey is fantastic.

A Watcher is probably second.

I'd say an Austringer or two would be third.

Then it depends on your preferences really. Speedy objective grabbers........the Watcher can do it, but a pair of Guild Hounds is pretty fun.

Want some extra melee juice? A couple Stalkers are great with Perdita.....great fighters and their Dispel plus Perdita's Spellbreaker means there won't be many effects floating around.

Big melee hitter? Executioner. His slow speed is easily compensated for with a couple of Obeys.

Truth is, other than Companion (Family), Perdita has no synergy with anyone. She just does what she does and makes any crew better........you can take just about anything and she just enhances things. I've taken just her and the Neph.........no family....hounds, stalkers, and marshals and crushed.

Try out the entire box a few times using just the 3 things I mentioned first. A Watcher puts you at a 7ss pool in a 35ss game. Using an Austringer instead puts you at 5ss (a little low even for me, but just to experiment with.......you're not trying to win, you're trying to learn). Figure out who you really like from the family and who you might want to replace with someone else.

Play a few games then come back and we can talk about the pro's and con's of members of the family compared to standard Guild models. But you should at least experience a few head shots or Boom!s before you decide on any cuts.

Hope this helps.

[Jonas Albrecht]

Watchers, Stalkers, Wastrels (a big one for me). Her totem is good, and better at casting Obey than she is.

[brib4169]

Brutal effigy is nice if you don't want to Take her totem. Abuela is decent and can give another Model the family trait.

[dgraz]

I assume that the Wastrels are good at objective grabbing and such.....I know Jonas plays Perdita so if he says they're good I'd take his word for it. I seem to be having some kind of mental block with them and can't get them to do anything worthwhile in my games. (I'm considering putting up my own thread about them to figure out what I'm doing wrong...but I just got McCabe and want to try on my own a few more times before I reach out to the community.)

For now I would have to disagree a little with brib4169. Only because you are just learning the crew. The Brutal adds a nice healing element that Guild lacks and is a solid fighter......but, I feel that you should learn the Neph before you start thinking about a replacement. I personally still always use the Neph, but that's me.

Also, I would stay away from Abuela for now. The Ortega's are heavily reliant on :masks already and Abuela makes that even worse. I'm not bashing on Abuela, but I think you should learn the basics of the Ortega's and how to spread the :masks around before you try spreading them even thinner.

[THE_Dwarf]

I have had a look at a few of the models suggested here on a wiki; Pull My Finger

From what I see is that Executioner looks lethal ... when he hits combat. And a good beat stick is always useful.

So with him I will assume I'll be needing the totem to cast an extra 'Obey' to move him up the field quicker. Else runs the risk of being out manouvered I believe. But am I correct in assuming he can't be companioned to Perdita or her totem?

Thinking I may be puttin order in tomorrow at mates hobby store. But annoyingly two new Gremlins out soon to. ARGH!! lol

Hoping my local henchman is down the store Tuesday have a chat to him about it, else knowing me I risk doing what I did in 40k, buying too much and not all the right stuff lol

[Pagan Wolfe]

In larger games the executioner is great when paired up with Granny thanks to shot gun wedding. He then gains family!

The executioner fills the big hole in the Ortega crew, that is close combat abilities. To keep in theme I also have an Austringer (falcon type guy) and would also heavily recommend a watcher. There are several great guild objective grabbers (like wastrels) although for the theme I like pistoleros...although they are a little lame for their points when compared to other models.

For giggles I like to run this in 35SS

Perdita Ortega -- 5 Pool

Enslaved Nephilim [2ss]

Abuela Ortega [7ss]

Executioner [7ss]

Latigo Pistolero [3ss]

Latigo Pistolero [3ss]

Nino Ortega [7ss]

Watcher [3ss]

Use the enslaved to Obey Nino around so he gets the maximum shots off and the watcher to cycle cards for suits needed for triggers. You ave enough soul stones so that Perdita can get some good totals, be it defense or attack.

It is not the most competitive list but it plays well and has a good theme to it is such a thing is important to you. It also GREATLY depends on your schemes and strategies. More capture areas or getting across the table? Take a rider and some wastrels. More defense of home turf? Take riflemen. Either way, collect what you like and have some fun hope that helps.

[dgraz]

From what I see is that Executioner looks lethal ... when he hits combat. And a good beat stick is always useful.

So with him I will assume I'll be needing the totem to cast an extra 'Obey' to move him up the field quicker. Else runs the risk of being out manouvered I believe. But am I correct in assuming he can't be companioned to Perdita or her totem?

He is brutally efficient in melee. Especially if he can kill things to heal himself up. He is very weak vs ranged attacks because his Df is so low. Get him into melee fast and keep him there. I don't use him with anyone else really.....because as you mentioned, Obey lets him get where he is going.....and yes, I would take her totem every time...especially when using the Executioner.

The only way to get him in a Companion chain is with Abuela using 'Shotgun Wedding' but I've never used her (the :masks thing I mentioned earlier). You could however, companion Perdita and her totem and cast 2 Obeys on him back to back giving him a 14" threat range. I do that sometimes....Obeying him to charge gives him 6" of move, then the 2nd Obeyed Charge is another 6" and his 2" reach. On that 2nd charge if he hits then that opponent is severely weakened and if the enemy charges the Executioner and kills him, he can S2D against the weakened opponent, kill it and heal up.

Yes, it is good to have a big beatstick and he is pretty much it. But remember that for 1ss more, you can have a pair of Stalkers. It has been my experience that opponents will often dismiss them as a lower threat...until they start learning that a decent crit strike does almost the same damage as the Executioner does.

Also, don't forget about Francisco for melee damage. He has a high Cb and can do massive damage. An Obeyed Charge from a companion'ed Perdita is a 9" threat (add the totem to that and it's a 16" missile) that gives him the Charge strike then he can Flurry......even Masters have a hard time living after that without heavy use of SS. Just keep him back as a second-stringer, he dies to a stiff breeze so don't put him out front. Once the enemy moves in close enough then use him. I usually hold him behind Santiago.....most opponents will want to engage Santiago ASAP because his guns are brutal but he sucks in melee.......then Francisco can kill whatever engages Santiago. If you do the double-Obey on him to fire him at some priority target across the board, expect to lose him to the retaliation. I don't like to sacrifice my guys like that, but if you can take out an 8-9ss model (or a master) then it is sometimes worth it.......I would only try that if I had a great hand - or I'm holding the Red Joker.

[Odin1981]

I have had a look at a few of the models suggested here on a wiki; Pull My Finger

From what I see is that Executioner looks lethal ... when he hits combat. And a good beat stick is always useful.

So with him I will assume I'll be needing the totem to cast an extra 'Obey' to move him up the field quicker. Else runs the risk of being out manouvered I believe. But am I correct in assuming he can't be companioned to Perdita or her totem?

Thinking I may be puttin order in tomorrow at mates hobby store. But annoyingly two new Gremlins out soon to. ARGH!! lol

Hoping my local henchman is down the store Tuesday have a chat to him about it, else knowing me I risk doing what I did in 40k, buying too much and not all the right stuff lol

If you take him (the executioner and abuela) you can companion them all at once from turn 1 on. Your first or early activation (one of the first three activations in the turn) you have abuela activate and you shotgun wedding him (0). He from that point on will be given the family trait and will be able to simultanious activate with them. You would then be able to companion the totem with dita then the executioner in a chain and be able to obey charge a target you have los to for the two obeys to get him up the board. In theory if you had enough masks in hand (7,8 of masks plus a 10 or higher any suit).

On to the op's question of what to buy:

What I would recomend purchasing with the box set it would include: enslaved nephilim, 1-2 watchers, 1 guild austringer, executioner, and a box set of witchling stalkers. Also if their are a # of guild players in your area see if someone will trade you a wastrel or two for 1-2 models you can give up (definatley I would say papa loco, maybe francisco if you don't like him) so you don't have to buy a boxset that you would really only use out of (of course if you like mccabe by all means purchase the boxset so you can add all the models in it to your disposal).

Edited January 30, 2013 by Odin1981

[dgraz]

for 1-2 models you can give up (definatley I would say papa loco, maybe francisco if you don't like him)

Francisco rules.

[Odin1981]

I'm not saying he doesn't dgraz, but from what I gather on the forum is some people don't play him right so if that where the case in his instance I could see possibly using him as trade bait for a wastrel.

[dgraz]

I'm not saying he doesn't dgraz, but from what I gather on the forum is some people don't play him right so if that where the case in his instance I could see possibly using him as trade bait for a wastrel.

I get what you're saying and I agree that that is a huge part of the problem with him. My advice is just different....instead of trading him because you can't use him correctly, learn how to use him correctly .

Also, since this is a new player I would advise to at least try him a few times before deciding to trade him away. I haven't used Papa in years and I could advise trading him, but again....a new player should at least try him first.

Not trying to dismiss your advice, just saying that a new player should experiment first.

[Odin1981]

Its cool man . I was just giving some potential ideas for tradebait for him to get models he needed. I would personally try to trade papa and nino if I was in his/her position. I find nino vastly overated and papa is not bad but what the rest of the ortega's are good at doing (fighting wp and effect related crews are what he sucks at) he suffers do to defending at wp 1 in duels.

[THE_Dwarf]

Cheers for the advice guys :-)

Only had two games of Malifaux in the past week or so, both with my Gremerins. But from reading your advice, I may ask my mate, whom is also my local henchman, to run me through a few games some time with just the Perdita box set.

Thinking that will be the best, not just with using the box set but also with someone who knows what they doing. As he'll give me advice and help. Where as playing another mate who there to win, I may not learn as much. If that makes sence?

Going back to what Odin1981 said previously, about Nino. I am looking forward to getting the trigger 'Head shot' going off at key model on my opponents side. I'll be aiming to try get this trigger late in an activation, where his control cards are hopefully reduced down. But would be awesome!!

I'll try get a game with the Perdita box set under my belt over the weekend some time, and come back here late weekend or monday lunch time.

[D-A-C]

Hey guys, this thread topic is actually something I'm interested in as well, and so I was just going to share the following idea to see if its any good.

1. I want to build on the 5 models from the Perdita boxset

2. I want to try and remain sort of fluffy/thematic (so for example constructs are not really thematic with ortegas)

So I had the following idea for a crew at 35ss:

Perdita - 5ss

Abulea Ortega

Convict Gunslinger

Francisco Ortega

Nino Ortega

Santiago Ortega

Now, its nothing particularly groundbreaking I know, but basically Grandma assigns the family trait to the Convict Gunslinger and you get another model that syncs well with what this crew is about ... shooting stuff and doing it during a devastating Companian chain.

The only thing I can't figure out is what to do with Abuela, but then again, I never know what to do with her anyway to be honest. Maybe have Convict, Francisco and Santiago on one side backed up with Abuela in the back but close enough to use 'Play Nice' to stop Melee chargers and try the odd healing fip on the three of them? Then on the other side have Nino Providing long range cover for Perdita?

Alternatively I could have her assign family trait to Convict then just have her sit at the back with Nino and try and get him and extra Obey and healing if he needs it, and then shotgun something if it happens to get close. Although that seems a waste for 7ss lol.

What do you use this old Lady for? Companioning another family member is all fine and good but she is overcosted at 7ss IMO.

Anyway, what do you guys think? I'm trying to stick to a thematic Perdita crew but build on the boxset in a competitive way like the OP.

(BTW a convict Gunslinger is thematic IMO as it fits the playstyle of the crew AND who is to say he didn't bust out along with Papa Loco who also wears black and white striped convict style pants in the artwork.

[dgraz]

Anyway, what do you guys think? I'm trying to stick to a thematic Perdita crew but build on the boxset in a competitive way like the OP.

What's thematic? Perdita not using the tools her faction provides? As one of the Guild's top officers, she can have anything she asks for. That's why I have no problem feeling "thematic" when I field Stalkers and Watchers and Executioners and whatever. I simply envision Perdita striding into some Guild office and "requisitioning" whatever she wants - "But, but, that Watcher is scheduled to patrol the western district in 15 minutes...." "Find another, this one is mine now. Adios."

Anyway, several "thematic" models are sub-par IMO. There's no way to be "competitive" when using them. For fun, sure....Papa can be great fun - an Executioner Ortega can be fun.......but Abuela and Papa aren't competitive and the Pistoleros.........well we all know about them. There just aren't enough Ortegas to make a "competitive" "thematic" crew. IMO.

[D-A-C]

What's thematic? Perdita not using the tools her faction provides? As one of the Guild's top officers, she can have anything she asks for.

Anyway, several "thematic" models are sub-par IMO. There's no way to be "competitive" when using them. For fun, sure....Papa can be great fun - an Executioner Ortega can be fun.......but Abuela and Papa aren't competitive and the Pistoleros.........well we all know about them. There just aren't enough Ortegas to make a "competitive" "thematic" crew. IMO.

When I use the words competitive and thematic in the same sentence I usually mean "How can we configure crew to the most competitive manner possible within the limits of a thematic crew". I think that theme is a combination of looks, fluff and playstyle, i.e. some crews have a particular way of doing things that other models can contribute to, and other models can't.

Anyway, I thought of this list which I might try out competitively, and I think it fulfils the goal of building on the boxet quickly, cheaply and staying within th confines of theme and playstyle.

Perdita - 4ss Cache

Francisco

Nino

Santiago

x2 Guild Hounds

Pale Rider

Its tough, its shoot, and you have some quick objective grabbing with the Hounds (or Rider if your stuck in a hard place lol).

All you need off the boxset to field this is Pale Rider and a pack of Guild Hounds ... not bad!!! Plus you can always swap in Papa Loco for less competitive games (cuz let's face it he is a blast to play ... bada boom chi )

[THE_Dwarf]

@D-A-C

Thanks for your input, I may look into that list, mianly you say quick. As I got Gremlins on the go. And don't get much time or (With work) drive to paint. So will definately look into it. Plus it gives me variety from Gremlins, which can't be a bad thing.

And just looked at the Pale Rider model on the store. Looks lovely :-)

And Papa Loco looks fun ... I obviously use Pere for my Gremlins and just fun if anything else ... although wih my bad flips never explodes with the force I wanna see ... one day, one day. Mainly becuase I keep forgetting his spell, oh well lol

[Adran]

Hey guys, this thread topic is actually something I'm interested in as well, and so I was just going to share the following idea to see if its any good.

1. I want to build on the 5 models from the Perdita boxset

2. I want to try and remain sort of fluffy/thematic (so for example constructs are not really thematic with ortegas)

So I had the following idea for a crew at 35ss:

Perdita - 5ss

Abulea Ortega

Convict Gunslinger

Francisco Ortega

Nino Ortega

Santiago Ortega

Now, its nothing particularly groundbreaking I know, but basically Grandma assigns the family trait to the Convict Gunslinger and you get another model that syncs well with what this crew is about ... shooting stuff and doing it during a devastating Companian chain.

I've got 2 comments to make on this list

Firstly, so many of the abilities you want to use are based on masks. If you don't get a mask in your hand you are really going to feel the pain. And if you get 1 good mask what do you use it on?

For this I would be very tempted tio include the Enslaved nephilm as he doesn't need the mask for obey.

Secondly, gunslinging is a bit of a trap for so many stratergys. Unless you have to defend a set area, relying on ranged shooting is very risky, and also very table depedant. Moving to good firing spots normally takes longer than moving to good melee spots, and keeps you away from where you actually need to be to obtain objectives.

I wouldn't like to be using this list to destroy or plant evidence, and Perdita is the only one who I could see doing anything in Treasure hunt.

You also struggle to hurt an opponents supply wagon.

If the sole purpose of Abula is there to turn someone into an Ortega, and you have no other use for her, then I would say its probably not worth the 7 stones, as I would typically not allow you shooting at more than 1 of my models if I lost Iniative, and you already have enough in 1 activation to kill just about anything.

Looking at those flaws I would look at the Watcher. Sure, its not an Ortega, but since they are there to go and face Neverborn out in the wilds it makes a lot of sense for them to have an eye in the sky helping them find the foe, and the skylight stoppign terrifyign seems really handy on a monster hunt. (and the ability to look at the top of your deck looks very handy for a trigger heavy crew)

Austringers are another good posibility, they fit the look of the cowboy (especially the one with the hat), and the use of deliver orders allows them to start a compainon chain. And, whilst they are still rubbish in close combat, they are able to leave it.

Your second list with the hounds and the pale rider looks a lot better